肖しょう像ぞう

しょ

う

ぞ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to a visual representation of a person, typically a painting, drawing, or photograph focusing on the face and expression.

美び術じゅつ館かんでモナリザの肖しょう像ぞうを見みた。
I saw a portrait of the Mona Lisa at the art museum.
彼かれは自じ宅たくの壁かべに家か族ぞくの肖しょう像ぞうを飾かざっている。
He displays a family portrait on the wall of his home.

See all 10 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の肖しょう像ぞうを描かくto paint/draw a portrait of someone
画が家かは王おうの肖しょう像ぞうを描かいた。
The painter painted a portrait of the king.
肖しょう像ぞうが残のこるfor a portrait to survive/remain
その武ぶ将しょうの肖しょう像ぞうが今いまも残のこっている。
A portrait of that warlord still survives today.
肖しょう像ぞうを飾かざるto display a portrait
壁かべに祖そ父ふの肖しょう像ぞうを飾かざった。
I hung a portrait of my grandfather on the wall.

Kanji

肖resemblance
像statue, picture, image

Related words

写しゃ真しんN5
写真 is a general term for any photograph, while 肖像 specifically denotes a portrait or likeness of a person, often artistic.
絵えN5
絵 is a broad word for any picture or painting, whereas 肖像 refers specifically to a depiction of a person's face and expression.
像ぞうN1
肖像 specifically means a portrait of a person, whereas 像 can refer to any kind of figure, statue, or image.
人にん間げん像ぞう
肖像 refers to a literal visual portrait (painting or photo) of a specific person, whereas 人間像 is a conceptual or literary portrayal of character or humanity.
胸きょう像ぞう
肖像 covers any portrait of a person (painting, photo, or sculpture), whereas 胸像 is limited to a chest-up sculpted bust.

Don't confuse with

想そう像ぞうN3
肖像 (a portrait or likeness) sounds very similar to 想像 (imagination), but the two words are unrelated in meaning.

Counted with

枚まいN3
肖像 is often counted with 枚 when it takes the form of a flat picture or photograph.
点てんN4
肖像 is counted with 点 when treated as a single work of art, such as a painting or sculpture.
幅ふく
Used when the portrait (肖像) is a painting or hanging scroll (掛け軸).

Word family

肖しょう像ぞう権けん
right of publicity; right to control use of one's likeness
肖しょう像ぞう画が
portrait; portrait painting
肖しょう像ぞう画が家か
portrait painter

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound of 肖 (resemblance) and 像 (image, figure). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a person's likeness.